Power-plant attachment for toy electric locomotives



Sept. 10, 1929. N. D. HlGHFlLL 1,727,704

* POWER PLANT ATTACHMENT FOR TOY ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES Filed July 14, 1928 Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

UNITED STATES NOEL DpfilGlIFILLyOF OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA.

POWER-PLANT ATTACHMENT FOR TOY ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES.'

Application filed July 14, 1928. Serial No. 292,802.

My invention relates to attachments to be applied to toy electric locomotives, electric motors and the like.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a device of this character which is new, novel, useful, inexpensive and of utility; a device which, when attached to the toy electric locomotives as they are now constructed, will convert the said locomotives into stationary power plants; a device which can be applied ,to said locomotives at very little cost and will save the expense of a separate electric motor for operating an electric train and such numerous toy combinations as can be made from erector sets, builder sets and the like; the use of my attachment will make possible the gradual building up of toy sets and maintain interest in the same, for after the novelty of the electric locomotive, as such has worn off, it can at once be transformed into a stationary motorfor operating the very numerous toy models such as windmills, steam shovels, elevators, hoists and the like which are so interesting and instructive for children and adults as well.

The said builder sets to be complete require separate motors and the expense of these motors usually about doubles the costof said model building sets. This duplication of motors and practically all of the expense is eliminated by my invention.

My device is shown in the accompanying one-sheet drawing but it is to be understood that the said drawings are merely to illustrate the principles and are not to be restricted to the exact details there shown. I reserve the right to make minor changes in the size, length, weight, shape and position and the like of the different parts without departing from the spirit or principle of my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I Referring now to the drawings,Figure 1 is a plan of a typical electricftoy locomotive with my attachment applied thereto; Fig. 2

. is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspective viewof the base electrical contacts and connections and supporting members thereto attached; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View of pulley showing one endof armature shaft.

Like charactersbf reference designate like I parts in all of the figures. L

. The popularityofelectrical toys of various kinds is a well known fact. One of the most popular is perhaps the locomotive pulling a train around an endless track- As at present constructed the said locomotive is designed for pulling the said train and that alone. The thrill of watching the train making the same round trip soon loses its appeal and then the train and the most ex pensivepart thereof, the locomotive, is laid aside of no furtheruse. carding this expensive and still useful toy my attachment converts it into stationary power plant at very little expense. Its usefulness as a locomotive isunimpaired as no structural changes are necessary. The said locomotive can be put back into'service as such in a few moments.

One embodiment of my invention will now be given: The electric toy locomotive 1 may Instead of disbe any one of the numerous types now 'onthe market, having cowcatchers or pilots 2 and drive wheels 3. Itmayhave the third rail roller contacts 4c and 4* or'power terminals 5 and 5*. The switch 6 is for reversing the direction of travel of the locomotive. The armature 7 shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 ordinarily has a short shaft but with my attachment it is necessary toextend said armature shaft 8 so as to protrude slightly beyond the sides of the said locomotive 1' as can best be seen in Fig. 1. I provide a pulley 9 to be attached to either or both ends of shaft 8 as desired. Said pulley 9 is securedto, said shaft 8 by set'screw 10 passing through the hub of said pulley 9 and having bearing upon a flattened spot 11 on the end of said shaft 8. As can best be seen in Figs. 1 and f said spot 11 is an inclined plane sloping inwardly from the end of the shaft 8 the better'tosecure the said pulley 9 from disengagement from said shaft 8. I provide. a plurality of stationary supports--12, preferably of stamped,

, sheet metal, having perforated vertical members 13 andperforated horizontal members 14, the latter, being suitedffor attachment by screws 15 'to base16, said base 16 may be. of woodgfiber board, sheet metal or any suitable material. I provide supporting rods 17 for positioning in the perforations in the said vertical members 13 of said supports 12. Sleeves 18 on said rods 17 may vary in length to fit locomotives of differing widths. Cotter keys 19 removably secure said rods 17 through openings 20 in thegbase of locomotive 1. Stationary supports 12 are in such spaced relationship on base 16 as to securely anchor said locomotive 1 and members 13 are of such height, that drive wheels 3 are free to turn without contacting said base 16. Flat contacting spring 21 by means of screw 22 is removably secured to and rests on insulating and spacing .strip 23attached to supports 12 by screws 24, said strip 23 is of such length as to give the proper spaced relationship for saidsupports 12. I Said spring 21 is suited to contact with rollers l so that if it is desired .to operate the motor'in locomotive 1 by taking off power from the track circuit, third rail 26 is connected by live wire 27 to screw '22 and thence to said spring 21. The ground return is through track side rail 25 and connection 28 to the end of rod 17. lVhen not convenient or desirable to use the track circuit, power to the said motor may be supplied through wires and terminals 5 and 5. The terminals 27 and 28 can ofcourse be used as connections for power other than that supplied by the track circuit. The base 16 may be extended to any desired length and form of shaft 8, connect terminals to the most convenient power circuit and .turn on the power switch. A belt from pulley .9 will supply the power necessary for operating the toy models. The reversing switch (Swill reverse the motor in this position as well as when operating as a locomotive. V

Having thus described my invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured Letters Patent is: c 1 V 1. A device of the class described, comprising a base, a plurality of horizontal stationary perforated supports having integral upstanding perforated ends, said horizontal portions being adapted for connecting said base and a spacing and insulating strip, said upstanding portions being adapted for removably connecting supporting rods, supporting rods for inserting through openings in the base of andv for supporting a toy electric locomotive, a strip for connecting said horizontal portions and for relatively spacing said supports for various toy locomotive engines.

2. A device of the class described, comprising a stationary supporting base, a plurality of stationary supports having perforated horizontal members'for connecting said base, said horizontal members having perforated integral vertical ends for removably anchoring supporting rods, supporting rods for rigidlyanchoring a toy electric locomotive engine above said base and permitting the drive- .wheels thereof free revoluble movement, a flat contacting spring anchored centrally each end beingadapted for contacting third rail roller contacts attached to said locomotive, insulating means between said flat spring and said base and said supports.

3. A device ofthe class described, comprising a plurality of stationary supports being adapted for attaching to a stationary base .in such-spaced relation as to securely anchor above their bases various makes of toy electric locomotive engines permitting their drive-wheels to freely revolve without locomotive tractive effect, a spacing and insulating strip for spacing said supports and insulating a flat spring, a flat spring for fastening to said stripand for contacting third rail roller contacts to a locomotive, means for connecting power to said spring from a track circuit to operate the motor of said locomotive.

4. The combination wit-l1 a toy electric locomotive having an armature shaft, of a device of the class described, comprising extensions on the ends of said shaft detachable pulleys thereon for transmitting power to separate units, a plurality of stationary supports for supporting rods, supporting rods having spacer sleeves thereon, said rods being adapted for removably positioning in openings adjacent opposite ends in the base of said locomotive, means for removably securing 831d rods to said locomotive base, a supporting base, a connecting strip for suitably spacing said supports, insulated contact means on said strip for transmitting power from atrack circuit through third rail roller contacts to the motor of said locomotive, said elongated armature shaft ends protruding slightly beyond thesides of said locomotive, a spot adjacent each end of said shaft having a flattened inclined plane sloping downwardly and inwardly from each end andadapted to form anchoring means for said pulleys.

5. The combination with a toy electric locomotive having an armature shaft, of a device of the class described, comprising extensions on the ends of said shaft detachable pulleys thereon for the transmitting power to separate units, a plurality of stationary supports for supporting rods, supporting rods having spacer sleeves thereon, said rods being adapted for removably positioning in openings adjacent opposite ends in the base of said 1000- motive means for removably securing said rods to said locomotive base, a supporting base, a connecting strip for suitably spacing said supports, insulated contact means on said strip for transmitting power to the third rail roller contacts on said locomotive, said elongated armature shaft ends protruding slightly beyond the sides of said locomotive, a spot adjacent each end of said shaft having a flattened inclined plane sloping downwardly and inwardly from each end and adapted to form anchoring means for said pulleys.

6. The combination with a toy electric locomotive having an armature shaft, of a device of the class described, com rising extensions on the ends of said shaft etachable pulleys thereon for transmitting power to separate units, a plurality of stationary supports for supporting rods, supporting rods having spacer sleeves thereon, said rods being adapted for removably positioning in openings adjacent opposite ends in the base of said locomotive means for removably securing said rods to said locomotive base, a supporting base, a connecting strip for suitably spacing said supports, insulated contact means on said strip for transmitting power to the third rail roller contacts on said locomotive, said elongated armature shaft ends protruding slightly beyond the sides of said locomotive, a spot adjacent each end of said shaft having a flattened inclined plane sloping downwardly and inwardly from each end and adapted to form anchoring means for said pulleys.

7 A device of the class described, comprising a plurality of stationary supports being adapted for attaching to a stationary base in such spaced relation as to securely anchor above their bases various makes of toy electric locomotive engines permitting their drive-wheels to freely revolve for use as flywheels only, a spacing and insulating strip for spacing said supports and insulating a fiat spring, a fiat spring for fastening to said strip and for contacting third rail roller contacts to locomotive, means for connecting power to said spring from a track circuit to operate the motor of said locomotive.

NOEL D. HIGHFILL. 

